Texas Tech football might face a placekicking issue as they approach 2024. Recent comments from special teams coordinator Kenny Perry have left fans feeling concerned about the kicking position.
Few aspects of college football can more frustratingly derail a season than inconsistent kickers. Over the years, fans have often lost patience, with countless broken remotes as evidence of their disappointment with missed kicks from close range. For Texas Tech supporters, serious doubts loom about the team’s placekicking abilities as fall camp progresses.
On Monday, Kenny Perry, the special teams coordinator and running backs coach, spoke to the media and offered a less-than-encouraging update on the kicking competition in Lubbock.
“Can any of you kick?” he quipped sarcastically when asked about the situation. “We’ve experienced both good and bad days. There’s definitely competition. Some days Gino [Garcia] shines, and other days it’s Reese [Burkhardt]. Honestly, I wish someone would really step up.”
It’s somewhat surprising that an off-season kicking competition has emerged, especially since last year, Garcia performed well after the second week of the season.
Though he started with four misses out of his first seven field goal attempts, he bounced back to make 13 of his last 15, achieving an impressive 86.6% success rate post week two. He also converted all 40 extra-point attempts.
On the other hand, Burkhardt primarily handled kickoffs, managing to have 40 out of 64 go for touchbacks, but he did not attempt any field goals.
However, there hasn’t been enough distinction between the two kickers this off-season for Perry to select one as the clear favorite, which raises some concerns for him.
“We’ve got a strong football team,” he noted. “We just can’t afford to start like we did last year. But you know what? We’re going to be fine. We’re working on it.”
He added, “It’s not that they aren’t trying; we just need to start making kicks. That’s what it comes down to. As a college football player, you have to make kicks. If not, someone else will.”
Garcia’s early struggles last season could have cost Tech two victories—he was 2-5 in a double-overtime loss to Wyoming and 1-2 in a close loss against Oregon.
This year, Tech aims to avoid a similar situation, but Perry is uncertain about his choice at this point. He expressed surprise at needing a kicking competition this fall, considering how Garcia finished 2023.
“A little bit,” Perry responded when asked about the unexpected change in the kicking situation. “I think Reese took things seriously in the spring. He initially thought he was just the kickoff guy, but last spring he performed better, and that’s how it’s played out. But I have no doubt that one of them will step up.”
It’s crucial to establish the kicking game before August 31. While two of the first three games are likely to be manageable—especially with home games against FCS opponent Abilene Christian and Group of 5 team North Texas—having a reliable kicker early on is vital, especially in week two against Washington State.
A shaky kicking game can seriously hinder a good team. Fortunately, Texas Tech has had solid kicking performances in recent seasons from players like Garcia, Jonathan Garibay, Trey Wolff, and Clayton Hatfield.
Currently, though, it appears the kicking group is struggling to find their rhythm in fall camp. Perry is hopeful that either Garcia or Burkhardt will step up, as no one wants a season with a kicking game that becomes a liability, and Texas Tech fans have only so many remote controls to break.
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